Song written by Donovan Leitch. Originally recorded by Donovan, it was released on his 1971 studio album ‘H.M.S. Donovan’. Kate Bush covered the song on the B-side of her 1981 single Sat In Your Lap.

Kate about ‘Lord Of The Reedy River’

I’ve always wanted to do one of his songs because I’ve admired his music and his voice for years. I decided to do this song and through a coincidence it started happening. Someone asked me what I was doing for the B side while we were watching a Crystal Gayle show on TV. I was telling them I was going to do this Donovan song and all of a sudden Crystal Gayle said “…and now my very special guest is Donovan” and you know we hadn’t seen him on TV for years and years. It was really like it was right. (…) And he came into the studio and did some backing vocals which is really great because I’ve always wanted to work with him. (Sally James, Almost Legendary Pop Interviews, cop. 1981. ISBN 090600828X

Lyrics

I fell in love with a swan
My eyes were filled with feathers
He filled me with song
In the reedy river
In the reedy river

I in my boat long hours
He in his royal plumage
I threw him some flowers
In the reedy river
In the reedy river

Black was the night and starry
I loosened off my garments
And let forth my hair
In the reedy river
In the reedy river

Sadly we mourned and sighed
Whilst in evening twilight
Two swans glide and fly
In the reedy river
In the reedy river
(“Two swans glide and fly”)
In the reedy river
(“Two swans glide and fly”)
I fell in love with a swan…